Barrel



Patented Mays, 1 928. I I umrsn STATES mam) B, nourz or. ELIZABETH noiz'rn CAROLINA. r

Application and; February 24,1927, s enai No; 170,583.

This invention relates to certain improvements in barrels and the nature and objects thereof will be readily recognizedfrom the following description of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believeto be the preferred embodimentor mechanical expression of my invention from amongvzv rious other forms, arrangements, con1binations and constructions of which the invention is capable within the spirit andscope thereof. l i 1 i j With barrels employed and used particularly for the packingand shipping'of vegetables, fruits and such like perishable goods, it is customary in general practice not to close the barrelswith a wooden head-or closure, but to employ a cloth or textile covering such burlap, for the open end of the barrel. -These barrels are formed with the usual seriesof outside hoops, one

of which is mounted on and around the outside of the barrel adjacent the open upper end thereof, and itis found in practice that. when a barrel of this general type is left exposed to the sun and elements the staves have a tendency to and will warp or" shrink so that theybecome loose and if a stave shrinks sufliciently to fall from place the barrel will collapse. A further difficulty experienced with this type of barrel, is that, in applying a burlap or:the"liketcover over the end of the barrel, usually a wooden hoop is used to securelthe burlap cover in place, this hoop being fitted around the exterior of the barrel over the skirt ofthe burlap cover and confining such cover in place. The cover confining hoop is attached in position by nailing or stapling the same to the barrel, and great difliculty is encountered because of the tendency of the staves at the upper end of the barrel to fall or collapse inwardly upon the application of blows and pressures on the exterior or outer sides there of, as will be clear to those. familiar with this type of barrel.

Itis an object of the present invention to eliminate the possibility of open endbarrels collapsing, and to permit of their being exposed for any length of time under any and all conditions without collapse of the barrel due to stave slirinkageor warping.

It is a further object of the invention to eliminate the possibility of collapse of an open end barrel in nailing or securingthe cover retaining hoop thereon, as wellas to ENT; OFFI -Q rendersuch nailing operation easier and more efficient by elin'iinating inwardgive' or d splacement of the staves. l

' A further ob ect of the invention is to provide a construction of openend barrel such that the staves are internally reinforced against inwardcollapse by the provisionof an interior reinforcing and holding means or member at the open upper end Oftllt; barrel." v a I A further object of the invention is to provide a design" and construction of open end barrel in which a ring i-sinsertedinagroove formed *on and around the interior of the barrel at'the open upper end thereof and isretainedby said groovein annular form against buckling or; distortion to hold-the staves against inward displacement and resulting collapse of the'bar'relK i ,WViththe foregoing andcertain otherobjects' and results in view;the-invention con sists in certain novel-features and construction and arrangements and combinations ofelements as will be more fully and particularly referred to' and described hereinafter, Referring to'the accompanying draw ngs,

Fig: 1 is a detailed perspective View of the open upper end of a barrel embodying and including the features of the invention) .Fi 2 is detailed vertical section to a portion of the' open upper end ofth'e barrel showingaconstruction and arrangement of inner reinforcing ring or hoop.

A form of barrel is disclosed in the accompanying drawings of the open upper end type in which the problems overcome by the invention are present. The form of barrel shown is purely by way of example and not of limitation and serves to illustrate and bring forth the principles and features of the invention. Obviously, the invention is not limited orrestricted to the exact form or construction of barrel here shown.

In the accompanying drawings a barrel B is shown embodying the series of barrel staves S held and retained in barrel forming position and relationby the usual seriesof exterior wire hoops, one of which, I-Las is usual beingmounted on and aroundthe outside of the barrel adjacent and inproximity to the open upper end thereof. The exterior hoop H is nailed, stapled or otherwise suitably secured to the barrel, as for example by the usualstaples Gas will be clear by reference to the drawings. Now, as explained with a barrelof this type constructed as described, upon exposure to the sun andother elements and conditions, the staves S will shrink and warp and if such shrinkage is suilicient the result is the collapse of the barrel by inward falling or displacement of the sta-ves. v

According to the invention I provide and form a groove 10 around the inside of. the barrel adjacent the open upper end thereof and this groove 10 is preferably, although not necessarily, in alinement with the outside hoop H, or can be positioned spaced above or below such hoop H. In the groove 10 a retaining and reinforcing memberin the form of a ring 11 is inserted and positioned and prevents and eliminates possibility oilinward' "falling or displacement of staves S through shrinkage or warping of these staves, The upper ends oi the staves S arcthus retained and held between the inner ring 11 and outer hoop H, while asis customary and usual the lower ends otthe staves are retained and held in barrel forming position and relation by the usual barrel bottom (not shown) as will be readily understood by those familiar with barrels and their con-v struction. The ring- 11 is preferably, of a size and diameter, such that it must be forced into groove 10 and in mounted position is under compression and thus exerts a continuous outward pressure against the inner sides of the upper ends of the staves, al-

pot the barrel tending to buckle or distort the ring, so that the staves are secured and held by the ring against displacement.

VVit-h the interior reinforcing member or ring 11 of the invention in mounted position holds the staves backed up and sufiiciently rigidtorzthisoperation, and further all possibility of displacement of the staves S and collapse of the barrel due to the blows and,

forces applied to the exterior of the staves is done away with.

Attention is here directed to the fact that while hoops of the endless metal ring type are shown the invention isnot so limited, as a split ringorhoop of the expansible type can be used and inserted in groove 11 to exert continuous outer holding pressure on the upper ends of the barrel staves.

It is also evident that various changes, modifications, variations and substitutions might be resorted to without departing from the spirit; and scope, ofniy invention, and hence I do not wishto limit-myself to the exact and specific disclosures hereof.

What I claim is: A stave barrel of the, open-top type vhaving an exterior hoop surrounding the upper end portions ofthe staves, and an internal ring within the. upper end portion of the barrel tosustain the staves under-shrinkage and loosening; from collapsing inwardly, said barrel formed with an internal annular groove across the inner sides of the upper end portions of the staves in which said ring is seated and by which itis held in annular stave sustaining form and against buckling or distortion.

Signed at Washington, D. (3., this 23rd dayot February, 1927.

ALFRED B. HOUTZ. 

